Shallow-water diving helmet



Nov. 18, 1952 J, R. |ND|NGER 2,618,262

SHALLOW-WATER DIVING HELMET IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS NOV. 18, 1952 1 R UNDINGER 2,618,262

SHALLOW-WATER DIVING HELMET Filed July 26, 1951 2 MEETS-SHEET 2 I5 J5' 429 747- 'I3' SW J0 4.9 W J Jl z ,g5 (6 47 416 JJ 30 l 7 'f4 l T 9.9

INVENTOR. i efasej/ayl;

ATTE! RNEYS Patented Nov. 18, 1952 UNI TED .5S .ES 'PATIELN T 0 F F ICE ".SHA'ILOW-'WATER DIVING LHELNIET 36581111 lR.lLindinger, Miamli, 2F13.

ApplcationJuly, 1951Serial No. 238,713

(Cl. 'T28-"142) '5 Claims. *1

vThis"invention"relates to 'diving helmets of the 'type particularly adapted for use in shallow water, .andin particular a diving helmet formedwith 'twosubstantiallysemisphericalsections and hav- 'inga'substantiallyrectangular shaped `window in the frontwith 'a'dditional'w'ud'ows' in the sides'and top. land in which anair supply connection, which extends *toa ductr or air channel lextended continuouslyaroundthe lwindow in the front is provided at a'eomparatively low point so that upon 1failure of -'the lair an air-'cushion ris 'provided in the r11ppe1p'art of the helmet with the water level positioned "below the 'chin 'of the head of Vthe diver in 'the helmet.

The purpose Aof this invention is 'to provide an 'improved'helmet for divers wherein vision is provided nthrough the sides and top 'as Awell as in the 'frontl and whereinan air cushion formed in the helmet, Jas --in `the 'result 'of van accident holds 'the water line at a comparatively low point.

in theronventi'onal type of divers helmet va blast l'off air supplied under 'pressure to the helmet strikes the lhead'of the diver and'not only causes discomfort but also causes fogging'due to changes of tempera-ture With this thought 'in -mind Ythis invention conten'lplates Van air connection for idivers helmets 'wherein 'air 'is injected through 'rowsof'opening's `on the four Ysides of a 'front window and 'also over side and top windows so that the blast of air is removed from the -head of the diver and directed'upon the 'inner surfaces of the windows 'of 'the lhelmet whereby the usual iogging resulting-*from breathing ofthe diver 'lis continuously .removed *from 'the windows.

The object of -this invention is, therefore, to provide an improved method 'of 'injecting air 'under'pressure "into the 'helmet of a diver whereby theblast of air is .removed from the divers headlan'd directed .against the inner .surfaces of windows of the helmet.

jAnother Aobject of the invention is to provide anfimproveddivers helmet thatis so constructed Ithat'he-diver has comparative'freedomof movement of `his-'head so that :hevmay look through front, side,v and top windows Aof the helmet.

Aiurther object of the invention is to provide an improved divers helmet wherein air .is injected in'small .streams .over the inner surfaces of windows :of the helmet and in which the :point pf connection-of the air hoseiton thefhelmet isbe- A2 low the chin of a "diver wearing 'the 'helmet 'sfo that in .an 'emergency an air 'cushion is provided in the helmet, and in which the Ihelmet is 'of a comparatively simple and economical construction.

With 'these 'and other objects and advantagesiin View the invention embodies a divers "helmet formed with substantially 'semi-spherical "front .and rear sections with sealed and protected ywindowsin the k`fronl'"side, and to-p of the front section and with air vsmoplied through a 'connection in the lower part 'of 'the front 'section .and 'directed over the vinner surfaces ofthe said windows.

Other features and advantages of the invention will .appear from the following description 'taken in connection with the drawings wherein.:

Figure 1 is a fro-nt elevational view showing the improved divers helmet.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinally disposed section taken on line 2-'2 in Fig. 1 `showing one side of the helmet.

Figure 3 is a lside elevational view looking toward one side of the helmet and with the rear section thereof bro-ken away.

Figure 4 Ais a l,plan View 'of the helmet with the rear section -thereof broken away l Figure v5 is a sectional `plan 'through the helmet taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Figure 6 isa similar section `lookingupward1y taken on line 'eL- of Fig. '2.

'Figure 7 is a vertical .section taken on line "1 3 of Fig. 2 .looking toward the inner surface of the iront window of the helmet.

Figure 8 is a detail illustrating a section of fan .air duct extending around the .inner .surface of the front window o'f the '.helme't.

Figure 9 is a detail showing a section through meeting edges of the front and -rear .sections cf the helmet illustrating a modicat-ion wherein the edges of the .seetionsare riveted together and the joint is protected with van vinner lining strip.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding .parts the improved divers helmet of this invention vincludes a fron-t semi-spherical section Hl, a rear section H, a front window i12, side windows .I3 and 'le and an upper window L5.

The .front section Iv is .provi-ded `with a 'de.- pending fsection HS having :a weight positioned on the lower end and held in position with thumb nuts I'I on studs I8 which extend through a section I9.

The rear section II is provided with a similar extension 20 and the lower edge of the extension 20 is provided with a weight held with winged nuts 2I positioned on studs and carried by strips 23.

The front and rear sections are connected with an overlapped or Pittsburgh joint 24 and the inner surface of the joint is covered with a protecting lining strip 25.

The front window I2 is formed with a continuous frame 26 having an inwardly extended intermediate flange 21 upon which the glass of the window is mounted and the glass of the window is secured against a continuous sealing strip or gasket 28 by an outer frame 29 which is secured to the frame 26 by screws 3B. Bars 3I are mounted on the outer surface of the frame 29 by screws 32 and it will be understood that any suitable number of bars may be used.

The glass of the Window I3 is secured against a continuous flange 33 in a rim 34 by a frame 35 and the frame is held by screws 36 which also hold bars 3l over the outer part of the window.

'Ihe glass of the window I4 is secured against a flange 38 of a rim 39 with screws 4t which extend through a frame 4I and the screws 453 also hold bars 42 over the outer surface of the window.

The top window is formed in a similar manner with the glass I held against the continuous flange 43 of a rim 44 by screws 45 which extend through a frame 46 and the screws also hold bars 4'I over the outer surface of the window.

The helmet is supplied with air through a connection 48 that opens into a continuous duct 49 that extends around the inner surface of the window I2 and the duct is provided with a continuous slit 5i: formed between edges 5I and 52. By this means a continuous stream of air is supplied from the four sides of the window as illustrated in Fig. 7 and from this duct a connection or nozzle 53 carries air to the window I3, as shown in Fig. 2. A similar nozzle or connection is provided on the opposite side of the helmet for supplying air under pressure to the window I4 and, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 6, a nozzle or connection 54, which also extends from the duct 49, carries a stream of air over the inner surface of the upper window I5.

In the design illustrated in Fig. 9 a front section, similar to the section Ill, and indicated by the numeral 55, is connected to a rear section 55 with rivets 51 which extend through overlapping edges of the sections, and this connection is covered with an inner lining strip 58, the edges of which are secured to the sections by rivets 59 and GEL With the parts arranged in this manner the helmet is positioned over the head of the diver with the parts I6 and 20 which are flared outwardly coacting with the arcuate edges 6I of the side walls of the helmet tted over the shoulders to comfortably support the weight of the helmet on the divers shoulders.

With the parts in position and with air supplied to the helmet through the connection 43 a film of air is provided over the inner surfaces of the windows' and with the helmet slightly larger than the head of the diver the diver is free to move his head to look through the front, top and side windows, as may be desired. By this means'the diver is allowed to move his head Lio in a far greater range in all directions and is, therefore, able to make more advantageous use of all vision ports or windows with greater comfort.

Furthermore, with the helmet formed in this manner a greater volume of air is available to the diver and suiiicient space is provided for the installation of communicating devices in the helmet.

A straight glass in the front window provides most efficient vision, and, not being curved, the line of vision is not distorted.

It will be understood that modifications may be made in the `design and the arrangements of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A divers helmet comprising a substantially, spherical shell having front, top and side windows therein, an air duct having a discharge slit therein extended around the inner surface of said front window and with the slit therein positioned to discharge air over the inner surface of the window, nozzles positioned to discharge air over the inner surfaces of the said top and side windows and means for supplying air under pressure to the said duct and nozzles.

2. A divers helmet comprising a substantially, spherical shell having front, top and side windows therein, an air duct having a discharge slit therein extended around the inner surface of said front window and with the slit therein positioned to discharge air over the inner surface of the window, nozzles positioned to discharge air over the inner surfaces of the said top and side windows, and an air supply connection for supplying air under pressure to said ducts and nozzles, said air supply connection connected to the helmet at a point in the lower part of the helmet.

'3. A divers helmet comprising a substantially spherical shell having front, top and side windows therein, an air duct having a discharge slit therein extended around the inner surface of said front window and with the slit therein positioned to discharge air over the inner surface of the window, nozzles positioned to discharge air over the inner surfaces of the said top and side windows, an air supply connection for supplying air under pressure to said ducts and nozzles, said air supply connection connected tothe helmet at a point in the lower part of the helmet, said shell having depending extensions at the front and back, and front and back weights on the outer surfaces of the said extensions.

4. In a divers helmet, the combination which comprises a split spherical shell having front and rear sections the meeting edges of which are connected with an over-lapping joint, said front section having a rectangular shaped window therein and also having windows in the sides and top, a continuous air duct having perforations therein extended around said rectangular-shaped window of the front section, branch ducts connecting the duct around the window of the front section to the windows in the sides and top, and means of supplying air to the interior of the helmet with the air being supplied to the helmet through the duct around said rectangular-shaped window of the front wall and discharged against the inner surfaces of said windows.

5. In a divers helmet, the combination which comprises a split spherical shell having front and rear sections the meeting edges of whichare connected with an over-lapping joint, said front section having a rectangular shaped window therein and also having windows in the sides and top, a continuous air duct having perforations therein extended around said rectangular-shaped Window of the front section, branch ducts connecting the duct around the Window of the front section to the windows in the sides and top, means of supplying air to the interior of the helmet with the air being supplied to the helmet through the duct around said rectangular-shaped window of the front wall and discharged against the inner surfaces of said Windows, said front and rear sections of the helmet having depending portions adapted to rest against the chest and back, respectively, of a. diver with the head of the diver in the helmet, and from; and back weights on said depending portions of the sections.

JOSEPH R. LINDINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 1,272,537 Sample July 16, 1918 1,643,667 Levy Sept. 27, 1927 2,303,155 Berge Nov. 24, 1942 2,333,054 Sullivan Oct. 26, 1943 

